Resistance to Social influence

Explanations of resistance to social influence

• Research studies carried out by Asch, Zimbardo, Hofling and Milgram had some ppts that resisted the pressure put on them and retained their independence:
  • Asch= 25% did not conform at any point
  • Milgram= 35% refused to give full 450V
  • Hofling= 1/22 nurses refused to administer the drug
  • Zimbardo= 2/3 of the guards resisted the pressure to behave sadistically

Social support

• Conformity
  • Social support can help people to resist conformity
  • The pressure to conform can be reduced if there are other people who are not conforming
  • The person not conforming does not need to be right but simply the fact that someone else is not following the majority appears to enable a person to be free to follow their own conscience

+Research evidence supports role of dissenting peers in resisting conformity

• Allen and Levine found independence increased with one dissenter in an Asch type study
• The dissenter wore thick glasses and said he had problems with vision
• Resistance not motivated by following what someone else says but it enables someone to be free of pressure from the group

• Obedience
  • Social support can also help people to resist obedience
  • The pressure to obey can be reduced if there is another person who is seen to disobey
  • The ppt may not follow the disobedient person's beh but the point is that the other persons…